Updated: March 27, 2017, to add link to Federal Register
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service is announcing the renewal of 187 substances on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) to conclude the 2017 Sunset Review. The new sunset date for these substances is March 15, 2022. These substances are used in organic crop and livestock production and organic handling/processing. The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), a Federal Advisory Committee, has reviewed these substances and supports their continued inclusion on the National List.
A notice about this action will be published in the Federal Register soon, and will be searchable using the identifier: AMS-NOP-17-0001.
The USDA organic regulations allow most natural substances and prohibit all synthetic substances in organic farming, except those included on the National List. The National List identifies the exceptions to this rule and includes synthetic substances that are allowed in organic agriculture, natural substances that are not allowed in organic agriculture, and all non-organic substances allowed in processed organic products.
Once a substance is added to the National List, the NOSB must review the substance every five years. This is called the “sunset review process.” After the NOSB completes its sunset review, the USDA renews or removes the substances from the National List to complete the sunset process. The action being announced here completes the renewal process, On January 18, 2017, AMS published a proposed rule to remove 11 substances from the National List, consistent with NOSB recommendations. AMS invites public comments on that separate action through April 19, 2017. View the Sunset 2017 Amendments to National List. USDA values public comments and past feedback regarding these substances.
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